Draft-gear.



J. F. COURSON.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAH. 6, 1914.

Paten/wd my 28, i914,

als

- partial sectional JOHN F. QOUSON, OF PITCAIRN, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAFT-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 6, 1914. SerialiNo. 810,583.

T0 all 11a/omit may concern Be it known that I, JOHN F. CoURsoN, acitizen ofthe United States, residing at Pitcairn, in the county ofAllegheny and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Draft- (w'cars, of which the following isa'specification. i

My invention consists of an improvement in draft gears for ailway cars,etc., and has for its object to provide means, independent of the shockabsorbing mechanism, which is usually combined to associate with thedrawbar, means, independent of suchv mcchamsnn for normally positioningthe drawbar.

' In draft gear apparatus of the friction or spring or other similarcharacteristic type, thc drawbar is ordinarily returned to its normalposition' by the resistance mechanism itself, after either| butling orpulling operations. Where springs .are employed, either alone, or incombination with friction mechanism, return of `the drawhar to itsnormal position isfrequcntly prevented or resisted, on account of thedeterioration of the springs, binding of the friction mechanism, orother causes arising from continued use of the gear, wear, depreciationof the parts. etc.

.My invention has in view vto provide mechanism operating directly uponthe drawbar to return it to normal position when extended after pullingstrains, .depressed after buiiing'strains, or when dimal centralalinemcnt.

Thescvcral above recited objects 'are aocomplished by the constructionillustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing one preferredarrangement of the invention, in

verted laterallv in either direction from nor-` Figure l is a centralvertical partial sectional view of the complete draft gear aS- sembled,the parts being innormal extended position, the section being indicatedby the line I. l. of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal view, indicated bythe line II. TI'. of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional` View, similar toFig.- 1. showing the drawbar eX- tended, as in pulling, and showing thecentral .wedge member forced backwardly.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on theline IV. IV. of Fig. 1.Figs. 5, 6l and 7 -are perspective detail views of the separatev partsof the rocking centralizing member. Fig. 8 is a similar detail view ofthe supporting bracket for said lnernber. Fig. 9 1s avsectional detailview showing a modified construction. l In the drawings 2 represents thedravbar of the coupler lxedly connected with Athe wedge ing throughopenings 5 in cheeks 6 ofthe wedge yoke 3 and through a-suitablf.recelvmg opening in the -re'ar portion o! the drawbar, the key lbeingpreferably held in position by cotters 7, or"other..suitable means. Thewedge yoke 3 is provided at its rear portion with inner reversed wedgefaces 8, 8, co-acting-with outer face; ofA wedges 9, 9, which in turnengage by theirA inner faces, the cofacting wedge faces of a centralwedge 10.

Extending transversely through slots 11 at cach side of'the wedge yoke,is a follower 12 normally bearing by its terminals yoke 3 by atransverse key 4 extendagainst'l the front stops 13, 13, of the centralsills 14. for the ing strains. The shock absorbing` member'D, which maybe of any suitable construction, ernbodying spring nism` or both, ismounted 'between the center sills 14 and bears transmission thereto ofpullbackwardly bv itsgear or friction gear mecha-V rear end against aresistance block orbut?rk ment 15. fxedly incorporated with or con'-rnected to the center sills-14 by rivets: '16, or other suitable means.is preferably provided with a forwardly ex'- tending ledge or bracket 17for snppoi ting the rear end of the shock absorbing n1ember D` asupporting bracket 1 8 extending underneath its forward portion,v andbeing secured to the center sills, as will be readily understood.

The particular construction of the shock terial to the 'opera-tionof thegear, a-nd'may utilize friction-creating wedgeslf), 19, flaving inner'opposedv wer'lgc faces for eng-igement with the inner wedge terminal ofwedge block 10, as shown, or-the shock absorbing member may contain anysuit-able compressible resistance mechanism, agafnst 105. Iwhich therearwardly exerted force of eleratenteqauiy 28, 1.914..

sov

The abutmertl absorbing element or member D is inm'a'- nient 1 0--isexerted-Iriother Words', the

vrear porti on of the element 10 is not, per se,

.essentially'vvedge inechanis'in.

In operation,jbuiling'strains effect rear;A Ward movement 'ofdrawbar 2,which are imparted through follovverlQ to the'front en cl of 'central vvedgelO, these parts being i vvnorinallyin v'tight contact (-as-inFig.-.1.),

.Wedges 9` being merelyl carried baclrivardly Without'vaction, vand therear end portion of elementk 10 exerting inward pressure tof thecoperat-ing contained portions of shock` absorbing vel ement D," thestraiiisbeing even? tually distributed to the c ar frame. Inv pulling,follower 12, bearing against stop 1 3,- resists forward travel ofWedgesQ,

which are thus forced inwardly toward each other by `Wedge faces-8 ofWedge yoke 3,'

vthus converging -upon the forward' Wedge faces of member 10, thrustingit re'arw ardly,v as shown -inlig. By either buiiing `or Julline" actiontherefore rearward .inoveV ment-is imparted to "nieinb er l0 and to`the.- shock absorbingelernent/D.' 'The shock absorbing constructionabove described mayA be substituted'bv any other suitableniech# n'iiisinwitlifyvhich the-drawbar'may befconnect'ed, -For the purpose ofreturning or assisting in returning the drawbar 2 to nor- ,Inalposition, either -ivhen 'depressed or `eX-`` ftended,lor whendefiectecllv laterally in either- `direction, I provide betweentlievunder side fof the' jdraivbar. and a [supporting bracket 20, a rollingor rocking centralizing' meni-v ber seated 'in a circular dished cavity21 ,at 5 the upper inner centrall portion of the; bracket 20..Said-bracket', asshowgi in 8, may be made-cfa single metal piece havinganges 22 `by which it inay be bolted or riveted to the lower flanges ofthe center" sills 14, as shown,- the-dished cavity '21 :be

' ing provided by an upper circular extension f e3 from the bottompiste.

v` A central-hole 24 provides clearance 'for a centralizing bolt 25,which extendsthroiigh fthe-central portion of bracket 20, centrally ofthe dished cavity 21, with' an intervening 28, of ashorter radiusthithat of the bowl? rocking th'imble 26. -Said th'iinble,y shown in-detailin Fig. T,.is partlyspliericahf for the pu'xjpose of providing a rollingbearing' t at the *under side of the bracket, 4and cof.

lincident with the bolt hole '24.

The rocking centralizing nieinben'iii the particular constructionillustrated., consists 55 of, a rolling barrel or cylindricalbodyportion 27 havinga partly spherical bottom shaped cavity 21, therebyproviding for a rolling action thereon in any. direction. .The rolling niernber'27 is provided at its upper 'portion-'with pivotal supportingnose or lug' 29,- in'tcrtting with a co-acting cavity 30 at the underside of the drawbar 2v and ceiitrally thereof, as indicated in-Fig. 2.

/Tlie rolling member 27, as shown, is inadc of tivo interfitting parts',lthb'ei especial lpurpose of-Which is tojfacilitate the `insertion tionshown, is' provided 'with a surrounding of the bolt 2 5. Said liolt, inthe -construci coiled spring- 31, which is compressed. upon'o shifting.of the member 27V from vertical position, in any direction.. .The springthus assists in returningsaid-member to its normal position, althoughAthjeweiglitj fof.: theA drawbar 2.* is inainlyfdepended upon forsuchjol purposes.'A Tliespring 31l may :thereforebef `dispensed with, ifAdesired, alt-hmigh it "is v,preferable to utilize the bolt. 25 orfitsequiva- 1 vlent 'for ceritralizin'p,- the rocking iiierr'ibery 27uponits supi'aortingbracket.

It willl be seenthat, upon vmovement ofthe 'drawbar in any direction,suiici'ent to'exe'rt a corresponding. movement of' the support- A 'fingrolling member 27, .it will rideiipivardly upon lthe' ccinca've annularbottom ofA cavity 85 2 1-,fand that the weight of the draivbfar will`ordinarily be .exerted downwardly; at .;any

inaxiinuin inoveinennor less movement, of

the dran-'ban Within `theperiphery of cavityl 21`I vasfiudicated by. thelinesc, a, andZz, 'b, 9.0 A Fig.v3),showing theinaxiinuin movement; iiat eachsideof th'enormal central linev c, c. .-The drawbar nill thus beretiiincdto its nor-f -inal positicmlargely bvthelexerticn ofthe forcefof gravity, resulting *from the weight 95 of any abnormal' sticking orfailure ofthe pai-ts of the shock absorbing eleinent'D.

The degree-.of'curvature of* the-'bowL struction in which .the positionof the f cavity 21 f acing downwardly, In such case,

the rocking meinberf27 is 'also reversed, its

partly cylindrical surface 2 8l opposing .the

urfacegof. the ycavity 21. its other endbeingof the coupler itself andquite iir/ idependent-v brackets 20is reversed, beingsecuredtol'the';

upper portion of the central car'underfrai'ne 'with'.the; concavesurfacefhof bowl-shaped 1'10 drawbart 2".. It will 'be understood lthatin such constructionfthe drawbar'is itself slid-v ingly. supportedupoiila1 lower bracket of suitable form, and that't'he rolling -of the.

onnected in any ,suitable-inannerwiththe 115].

barrel element 27. againstv the` concave un# '120 ,der'surface`'o'ff'the .upper bearing-.effects a separating .tendency and resultingstrain,

with a .corresponding tendency to`.roll to- 'ward the jcenter', in the'saine manner-as above describedif i The construction andoperationofl'the .iuf-` -Y ventiomwill be readily understood from thelforegoing' description.v The centralzing ele,- j ment above describedmay be utilized with'.

any available construction 0f draft gear or 130 .drawbar and` beingentirely independent of the gear itself, is extremely useful andvaluable in insuring return of the drawbar to normal position under thevarying condi-Y tions of service.

IHaving described the invention," what I claim is: i n

1. The combination with a drawbar, shock absorbing mechanism associatedtherewith, and a bearing member, of a rocking centralizing devicevertically opposed to the drawbar between it and said bearing member andembodying centralizing4 erecting means, coacting with the drawbar andbearing'member to support the drawbar at its varying positions and toreturn it to normal position. 2. The combination with a drawbar, shockabsorliing mechanism associated therewith,

Aand a bearing member, of a rocking centralizing device verticallyopposed to the drawbai` between it and said bearing member adapted toco-act with the drawbar and bearing member to support the drawbar at itsvarying positions, and provided with a centralizing bolt engaging thebearing member.

3. The combination with a drawbar and shock absoibing mechanismassociated therewith, of a bearing member, and a rocking centralizingdevice embodying a spherical bearing surface (1o-acting with saidbearing member at one 'end and having a pivotal bearing portion at theother end interposed between the drawbar 'and said bearing meniber forreturning the drawbar to normal position.

4. The combination with a drawbar and with, of a concaved bearing, and arocking rentralizi'ng device interposed ,between the drawbar and saidbearing and provided with a centralizing bolt connection therewith.

5, The combination with a drawbar and a concaved circular bearingmember, of a rocking centralizing device having a spherically'rounded'bottom engaging said bearing and a pivotal terminal engaging thedrawbar.

G. The combination with a drawbar and a concaved circular bearing`member, of a rockliottom engaging said bearing, a pivotal terminalengaging the diawbar, anda centralizing bolt connecting the centralizingdevice with said bearing member.

"a concaved circular bearing member, of a rocking eentralizing devicehaving a roundvshock absorbing mechanism associated there- FREDK Sinon,

7. The combination with a drawbar andy ed bottom engaging said bearing,a pivotaling centralizingy device having a rounded l

